How To Relax When Your Time Is Limited

Time is valuable, and to many people, limited. But it's important to take time out to relax even if it's only a few minutes here and there. Below are some relaxation techniques you can use on a daily basis to unwind when your time is limited:

(1) Breathing Exercise: sit comfortably, and breathe in slowly. Hold it for four counts, breathe out for four counts, and breathe in again for four counts. As you continue to do this, visualize each vertebrae and muscle from your tailbone where you sit up through the crown of your head, unhinging, relaxing, loosening. This should have you feeling nice and relaxed.

(2) Dream Holidays: Spend a few minutes googling your dream holiday destinations. Studies have shown that test subjects that viewed pleasing images of travel destinations showed lower pulse and blood pressure.

(3) Physical Activities: You could run up and down the stairs a few times and really get that heart-rate going. Research suggests that any physical activity that raises the heart rate for minutes at a time can improve mood, relieve depression, and increase feelings of well-being. No need to train for a triathlon, just get moving!

(4) Positive Affirmations: Give yourself a few words of encouragement every day for a few minutes. When you get stuck saying only negative things to yourself, acknowledge your mini-me and remind yourself that you are talented, hard working, and smart, you’ll be more capable to handle the hard times without feeling overwhelmed.

It’s daunting to think of walking away from your work, but by taking a step back and returning refreshed to the task at hand, you’ll be doing yourself a favor.